Absolutely loved that mate, we're all dead envious. That's how bikes should be, look fantastic, simple Amal carbs, gravity fed fuel, dead easy electrics, wonderful to ride and easy to maintain and fix. Thanks TAYM.
You hope it wasn't boring for the viewer. NOT for a second. I'm sitting here at the end of another overly long Canadian winter counting the days when I can get the old '72 Norton Combat out to give this old man a thrill just like the first thrill it gave me 52 years ago when I picked it up from the dealer, shaking in my boots sitting on the saddle for the first time. Your ride was just what I needed. It was luuvlee.
Looking at that, and all the years that have passed by since it was made, just goes to show that we haven’t progressed in many ways. I think character trumps outright speed and power, and plastic haha 🤞🏼
I couldn't agree more, 'Character' has been pretty much LOST in the world of modern motorcycles, with a FEW exceptions, most notable , certain bikes from Italy and I must credit Triumph for trying harder than most... Buell got it right a couple times, but Harley never did anything for me although millions would disagree... I have a '76 R90S that certainly 'has it'.
There was the 1000 cc Sportster. The Bonneville. The Earth changing CB750. And by this time the ass kicking Z-1 903. But any kid with a soul (and who saw the Norton print ads) longed for a Commando. Probably the most beautiful street bike of all time.
That's a big tick on the bucket list, Taym. What a wonderful, well sorted machine. Quaife transmissions are big in the motorsport world. Add me to your jealous list. Wow!
Morning Taym, greetings from the North Norfolk alps 😆 l can't believe anyone would find todays bimble 'boring',like you mentioned. l did smile, though, when you said you didn't know what the lights were like. There's a reason Lucas were called 'the prince of darkness'! Being started on Japanese fare in the 70s, l'm not sure how someone as cack-handed as l would get on with a right hand gear change, so well done you. Top class as usual 👍
Had a Yellow Dunstall 750 Norton Commando in the late 70’s. What a great bike. Reliable, good handling and a pleasure to ride. Watching that brings back the memories.
I stumbled on a 'like brand new' 73 850 Dunstall, just like the red one on the Dunstall Catalog, in 1983 at a Denver area cycle center, bought it 30 seconds later for 1500$, dream machine, my main ride for about a decade, still have it.
@@markmark2080 Nice one. Your making me jealous now and for that money! wow. Wished I’d kept my Commando. Had a Maxton 810 which I also regret not keeping. It had a Norton 810 works engine in a Maxton frame.
Beautiful machine. That 360 crank twin sounds (to my ears) so much better than the modern 270s, no vibration penalty either with the isolastics. I found it really amusing that Norton having blanked you then lent a bike to TMF (less likely to criticise?) only for him to tell us the new Commando is a bit crap.Tittered me lots😀
I had a 1961 T120 Bonnie with a pre unit engine, rode it from Bristol to the Isle of man in 1988 to see the TT, made it there and back so i know the feeling these old bikes give you, nothing comes close.
Thanks MH 😁 funny I was just saying in DC’s comment 😁 both this and the 550 feel much better on the road than most of the modern bikes I’ve ridden🤔 so much for progress 😁
As one rode Nortons for a couple decades back in the 70s and 80s, I second your emotions. There's a sweet range just above 3000 rpm where it feels like the engine is just idling along, like you could just go around the world like that if the highways were there...
Now you're torqueing! 😁 It was wonderful to get the opportunity to see that bike in action, let alone actually ride it. That must have been a great experience. Using the gearbox would be a bit like looking in the mirror! What a looker the bike is👍👍.
What a beautiful bike! Takes a few minutes to remember where the gear change is after a left shifter. The amount of times I've tried to change gear with the brake lever on the bullet when pulling away (seems OK when moving for some reason). The colour really suits the bike, fantastic with the Quaife box, just lovely. Please keep doing these type of reviews, gives us oldies a warm feeling 👍
What a lucky lucky boy TAYM I think we're all a bit jealous. What a marvellous experience and what a brilliant video the joy in your voice came through brilliantly. A fireblade might be fast but that Norton can do time travel and take you back 40 years in a second.
You surprised us today Mr Taym with the most amazing and favorite bike Norton Commando Fastback ,in the most beautiful colour British racing green, my dream bike ..just Superb Mr Taym....
Real bucketlist stuff taym, just such a shame they didn't do a triumph/bsa/ royal Enfield job for us, yes these were a superbike in their day, but an affordable one, if they'd produced a modern retro copy of the commando at 10 or 11 grand they'd have sold thousands, instead of an overpriced garage queen that most will end up in collections. Anyway I'm sounding like ice didi meldrew, savour the moment
I remember one of the last prototype Commandos built had the coils in one of the side panels, which really tidies up the styling. I believe if my memory serves me that it also featured an SU carb which gave ridiculously good fuel consumption. Marvellous!!! 😎
You are indeed a vary lucky boy, I am so jealous that you have ridden such a magnificent bike. That the current Norton people do not even respond is a really difficult thing to get your head around. Very strange from a business that purports to want to sell motorcycles.
That exhaust sounds so sweet, and compared to modern bikes, the engines had a very nice "Mechanical" sound. Some people may think it's noisy, but it's like music! Now I want to leave work and go get on my old Triumph! 😁😁 To bad you never got to test ride a new Norton, but I hope someday you can get your hands on one and let us know what it's like compared to this one!
I had a Commando in the 80s, fantastic fun bike, lovely punchy engine. Id put that one back to the standard Roadster, different tank and seat and take off the fastback.
What a fabulous bike..! Stunning from any angle and you got to ride it too, you lucky man. Now your note said it was sold soon after you filmed it, my question is does Mrs TAYM know it’s in your garage yet..?🤣🤣🤣
Another top quality video TAYM Quaife was famous back in the day for four into five speed gearbox conversions. Now I feel old for knowing that. Super sound from those exhausts and IMHO that contributes a great deal to the sense of power that is available from you right hand
My dream bike too in the early 70's. This model is a "Fastback" hence the tailpiece. There was also the more conventional "Roadster"," Interstate" and even an "Ezy Rider".
Hands down the best review l think on a Norton commando , 850 , on you tube , the enthusiasm is infectious , l am lucky enough to own three of these , Inc electric start , all different , roadster interstate , thinking about chopping one in for a bmwr90s , after seeing this , could just change my mind , keep up the brill videos ,. All the best ,Don.
Thanks Don 😁 you are very kind 😁 and also a very lucky man 😁 3 is a bit greedy if you don’t mind me saying 😂😂😂 May be you should consider parting with one, let someone else experience the shear pleasure of riding one 😁😂😂 I mean, a BMW R90S, wouldn’t be a hardship would it 😁😂😂
@@TAYM Hi , yes three is a lot , but purely the way it worked out , the first was a swop , the second was acquired when searching for an interstate fuel tank , from an old boy 13'000 miles , so l bought it , the third because l damaged my back , hence electric start , the plan was to sell xyz , then life changed , so next year will part with one or two , all the best , Don.
This Norton is a 'bitsa' - The Fastback Commando was only produced by the factory as a 750 in two distinct styles - Standard (3 gallon tank) and Long Range (4 gallon tank). This one is the latter. When 750 production ended and 850 started it was only made mainly as a Roadster or an Interstate. BTW the North American market always favoured the Roadster styled models (750 or 850) over other models available, although the Interstate sold well too. Nice to hear your enthusiasm in riding this bike though , they are great when set up correctly. I had a roadster way back in 1972/73 for a while and recently bought a 750 fastback to relive my youth - while I still can !
Yes, I really enjoyed myself😁 it surprised me just how good it felt given it’s age compared to modern bikes. It felt so much more solid and handled so well. Thanks DH 😁
That brought back some wonderful memories. In 1975, I was lucky enough to own a brand new 850 Commando Interstate in Candy Apple Red. Now I’ve almost come full circle with only my second British bike, a Speed Twin 1200 in Baja Orange. 😊
I owned a 74 750 with high compression “combat” engine. Then rode an 850 regularly over the mountains from Sydney to Orange/ Bathurst for years: a 3 hr trip! With a set of Dunlop K81’s riding fast through the mountain the bike it was like riding with a God. You just couldn’t fault the handling if you knew not to back off in corners, it would hold the line like you were on rails. The original pipes don’t have that lip at the bottom when the taper started from the joint. The tail price is from a Fastback 750 - looks good, and the tank from an Atlas - a pre commando model. Duke ss 900 sell now for $65,000 plus; early 750’s for a lot more but these are still around the 20-30,000 mark, cheap.
I agree, the old bikes seemed to give more power from less capacity, but I think a lot of that is probably down to the character of those old engines and the fact that they were smaller and lighter than modern bikes. I had a race tuned Norton Dominator 600 and a '68 Bonneville 650 back in the early 1970s and both could easily lift the front wheel in second gear, handled well and sounded amazing. There are plenty of faster and more powerful bikes now but most of them can't come close to the character and excitement of those old bikes.
Too-true ! I let my old Bonnie loose at the Lights once (back in the day ) Girl pillion flipped-back-ward, her foot caught under my chin and we did the-most-spectacular wheel-stand across the-lights Dave nz
Hi Dave, yes they were very lively if you got a bit too throttle happy! She was lucky to find your chin 😳. I had a similar incident on the Norton, which had a racing seat held on with bungee cords. I had a mate on the back going home from the pub one night, took off from a junction and left him sitting on the seat in the middle of the road! We thought it was hilarious at the time but we were lucky it didn't happen going a bit faster. Cheers, Mick
Those green clock logos were a brand logo design, that's all, That sounds like a well put together engine, I am glad you enjoyed it, my own one has a 100,000 miles on it and is still going strong. You should try a 750 Combat which is a tuned version, very light compared with an 850 and acceptably fast.😀
Ah, gear lever on the proper side and the right way round. Up-changes are so much quicker when you stab the lever down! Back in the eighties I got to ride an 850 Commando that had been prepared for production racing; 4S cam, close ratio gear box and racing numbers on the sides but still street legal; I never managed to get into top gear!
🌟The tail housing, that held the tool roll, is from an earlier Fastback model which was the one I had when I was eighteen in 1973. I now have a W800 but I'd swap it for a Commando any day ❤️
Eh TAYM great to see you enjoying that Norton Fabulous bike totally different experience That’s why I like the old machines so much Beast of a machine love it 😍 ❤
Lordy Be!! I road 3 of those before my Ducati. Connecticut back roads with humps and jumps! I was 18/19 and a fearless idiot! The only real complaint was that the Roadmaster forks topped out loudly over the humps and jumps. Considering I lived through that era it’s a niggle. I massaged them every weekend. Points, tappers and they were dead reliable. We’d head up to Vermont and points beyond camping and my Norton was always the first to start. The 74 Ducati did raise the bar though.
Thanks BL 😁 funny you say that 😁 we were discussing the looseness of the top of the forks😁 almost like it needed more fork oil🤔 I was assured it was normal and to be honest, it was only on the centrestand you noticed😁 to ride it seemed perfect 😁 thanks BL 😁 great memories 😁
And I got it wrong, fourth bike. On the gear change thing, I went from 1950 RE 500 twin - rIght side 1 up 3down, to 1971 Triumph Trident right side 1 down 3 up, to 1975 T140v Bonneville Left Side 1 down 4 up, to Norton right side 1 up 3 down, to 1977 Moto Guzzi Lemans left side 1 down 4 up. Was easy after that as most of the bikes i have had since were one the left 1down.
Incredible jealousy stimulated by that bike! The sound of a vertical twin especially in full song. Two things need to be if there is an afterlife, our pets back and British motorcycles!😆
What a marvellous bike and review though not the one I was expecting 😏😉😎 I very nearly bought this bike after your earlier video on it, had you published this then I very well might have. I was contemplating the new Commando at the time and although it looks good enough to eat, it's vibeyness and questionable handling along with its price put me off. I was on the verge of phoning Hayward's when I decided to look again at the TTS, which as you know I went on to buy instead. That's the way with bikes, we want to own them all, only practicality and affordability mean we have to be very selective with our choices 😏🙄😀
Absolutely 😁 this little baby is moving to Sweden with its owner in a couple of weeks 😁 he has something similar which I am hoping to get on before he goes 😁👹😂😂😂 thanks GW 😁 I was like you, thinking of a new Norton but a failure for them to respond and the points you raised pushed me to the Thruxton 😁 for which I am very pleased 😁 this Norton is so far removed from the new abomination you would believe 😁
What a beauty. I think thats my favourite motorcycle engine noise. Like Wendy but better. Is the Commando the Holy Grail of motorcycles I wonder. Cheers TAYM👍
No surprise it was sold looks to be in exceptional condition and an iconic machine..Feels solid because it has more metal and no plastic. A mechanical clocks etc. The only chips came with fish in those days. I guess the Honda 550 four a similar age. How did they compare?.
😂😂😂😂 thanks DC 😁 the 550 felt familiar 😁 the Norton felt much more powerful but both felt much better on the road than most modern bikes I’ve ridden😁 isn’t progress a funny thing 🤔
@TAYM I'm sure there is some nostalgia at work. I wonder how the old machines cope with modern fuel. No one mentions it. BTW you are lucky to have such a good dealer and someone doing high quality restoration!!
@@davidconnelly2096 absolutely 😁 and whether it would feel the same trudging through the daily commute on a cold wet morning is another thing. 😁 but it’s good to dream 😁
That 1974 Norton is nearly the same age as me. I wish I could say that I've aged so gracefully! To be fair, my body is probably about as effective as those drum brakes, lol.
Reason it feels so much more powerful is because it's only 189-191kg as RE650 Interceptor 215kg wet & T100 is 220kg & T120 225kg wet so 20-35kg lighter no Emission choking technology & taller gears that's why. Norton Commando 850 with 5speed is Creme de la creme bike everybody's dream bike buy TAYM 🦒.
It depends on your point of reference; the latest version is a significant improvement from the Garner era, but I agree that compared to other bikes in its category, others do it better. Perhaps another way of expressing how Norton could get the Commando so right while allowing the negative sentiment and symphony of noise to effectively kill any chances of selling a new or used V4SV or V4RC. The V4SS issue will not stop haunting Norton until they stop burying their heads in the sand and pretending they can tough it out when it's evident that they are hurting more than the V4SS owners. Is Norton really that different under TVS than it was under Garner, as it's once again a brand attracting attention for all the wrong reasons and with a product line-up that does not quite make it?
Absolutely 😁 they need to get their head out of their own dark place 🤔 I wrote three times by three different mediums to try and get a test ride but didn’t even get a response so gave up and bought the chrome Thruxton instead 😁
😂😂😂 pretty sure I did see Simon templer enjoying a pint in the three horse shoes 😁 and am certain there was a white Volvo p1800 in the car park 😁 😂😂😂 thanks Mr Ed 😁
The only bike better than a British Racing Green Commando , is a Red One . They feel more powerful than a modern bike because of the torque produced by the long stroke 360 degree crank . All this modern talk about 270 degree cranks in parallel twins and the Vtwin style power delivery is b*llsh*t . They sound nice because there's no DOHC and airbox whine and no they haven't shoved a cat up the exhaust either . Just how fast it actually is will depend on the cam and the size of the carbs , the fastest standard bikes were the 750 Combat engined bikes . But I suspect that the engine in that bike is rather special , I bet that above 5,000 rpm she really flies . It's a very nice Long Range Fastback replica , kudos to the builder . Thank you for showing it to us . [ Neutral Light ? 🤔. Wot's that ?🤣🤣🤣]
The Triumph Speed Twin 1200 has the character, sound, feel, with more power and torque. A wonderful modern traditional bike. And I also loved my Commando back in the 80s.
Lovely bike TAYM sounds awesome you lucky so and so but my fave Norton was the Commando Roadster I would really like to have one of those such a good looker to me never road one though .I would have rather had one of those at the time instead of a Bonneville and in the early 70's it''s challenger was the XS650 Yamaha the Japanese answer good bikes too but a lot different from what I remember good times and sad as it might seem I would luv to go back there 😂👌👍Super !
You lucky bugger TAYM, that’s the bike I covert most but with my somewhat lack of spannering skills one I fear to own in equal measure along with having to keep it outside under cover which would be criminal 😢. For this reason plus your personal enthusiasm for Wendy I bought the W Cafe; the nearest modern equivalent? You may be interested to know that Avon RoadRiders totally fixed the handling issues with a better ride to boot😂😂😂, absolutely love it know. Anyway, I’m soon off to the Pathfinder Cafe @ Blackbushe Airport Surrey to a classic bike meet where last week there were loads of gorgeous classics, here’s a video someone just posted of it. FYI my ‘Paddington’ is @13:50 ish th-cam.com/video/SA9O8B3YvBI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=fcAS1wUTUmxnoRAM but Wilma is having her turn today, ironically with on 152 registrations in the UK for the Cafe W it’ll probably be the rarest bike there hahaha!😅
Absolutely brilliant 😁 yes, the cafe W does sound exactly the same, that’s where I’ve heard it before😁😂😂😂 lovely bike, miss her a lot and maybe I made a mistake there😕 thanks SW 😁 I shall take a look 😁
National Party Leader Chris Luxon doesn't answer any questions cause he lies & walks away & us known as Mr Walkaway 😂🤣& has a Smug grin & a is a Smug C*#t. Someone vandalized his sign just down the road with a bum on forehead & Shite 💩 coming out of mouth makese laugh every time I go past😁😆😂🤣😆😂🤣.
@@ruahinesrider bit late for washing mate be raining over there now, doesn't it rain every day in NZ. I'm bringing my raincoat, gumboots and brolly that's for sure.
@@ruahinesrider not sure yet mate give u heaps of notice...re dinner or lunch what's best for u weekday or weekend. How far are you from Irish pub? and does that work for u. We're flexible.
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Absolutely loved that mate, we're all dead envious. That's how bikes should be, look fantastic, simple Amal carbs, gravity fed fuel, dead easy electrics, wonderful to ride and easy to maintain and fix. Thanks TAYM.
Thanks DT 😁 it was a real treat to ride 😁
You hope it wasn't boring for the viewer. NOT for a second. I'm sitting here at the end of another overly long Canadian winter counting the days when I can get the old '72 Norton Combat out to give this old man a thrill just like the first thrill it gave me 52 years ago when I picked it up from the dealer, shaking in my boots sitting on the saddle for the first time. Your ride was just what I needed. It was luuvlee.
Brilliant 😁 thank you 😁 you are very kind 😁
Looking at that, and all the years that have passed by since it was made, just goes to show that we haven’t progressed in many ways. I think character trumps outright speed and power, and plastic haha 🤞🏼
No, it’s odd isn’t it when you look. We just have moved on much at all and in some respects it appears we have gone backwards🙄 thanks MrD😁
I couldn't agree more, 'Character' has been pretty much LOST in the world of modern motorcycles, with a FEW exceptions, most notable , certain bikes from Italy and I must credit Triumph for trying harder than most... Buell got it right a couple times, but Harley never did anything for me although millions would disagree... I have a '76 R90S that certainly 'has it'.
That sound of a Norton - it’s a distinct purr! Beautiful sound !
Absolutely 😁 much nicer than the new ones 😁 thanks S 😁
There was the 1000 cc Sportster. The
Bonneville. The Earth changing CB750. And by this time the ass kicking Z-1 903. But any kid with a soul (and who saw the Norton print ads) longed for a Commando. Probably the most beautiful street bike of all time.
@@Charon58 excellent comment 😁 thank you 😁
That's a big tick on the bucket list, Taym. What a wonderful, well sorted machine. Quaife transmissions are big in the motorsport world. Add me to your jealous list. Wow!
Thanks RM 😁 added you to a long list 😁😂😂
Morning Taym the fast back was on the 750s the 0riginal one's 😊 how can this be boring you are a very lucky lad riding your pin up 😂
😂😂😂 interesting 😁 I am indeed 😁 thanks AR 😁
Morning Taym, greetings from the North Norfolk alps 😆
l can't believe anyone would find todays bimble 'boring',like you mentioned. l did smile, though, when you said you didn't know what the lights were like. There's a reason Lucas were called 'the prince of darkness'!
Being started on Japanese fare in the 70s, l'm not sure how someone as cack-handed as l would get on with a right hand gear change, so well done you. Top class as usual 👍
😂😂😂 thanks SD 😁 it takes some concentration I can tell you😂😂😂 the one up four down does nothing to help either 😂😂😂
Had a Yellow Dunstall 750 Norton Commando in the late 70’s. What a great bike. Reliable, good handling and a pleasure to ride. Watching that brings back the memories.
Excellent 😁 thanks Pat 😁
I stumbled on a 'like brand new' 73 850 Dunstall, just like the red one on the Dunstall Catalog, in 1983 at a Denver area cycle center, bought it 30 seconds later for 1500$, dream machine, my main ride for about a decade, still have it.
@@markmark2080 Nice one. Your making me jealous now and for that money! wow. Wished I’d kept my Commando. Had a Maxton 810 which I also regret not keeping. It had a Norton 810 works engine in a Maxton frame.
@ wonderful 😁
Beautiful machine. That 360 crank twin sounds (to my ears) so much better than the modern 270s, no vibration penalty either with the isolastics. I found it really amusing that Norton having blanked you then lent a bike to TMF (less likely to criticise?) only for him to tell us the new Commando is a bit crap.Tittered me lots😀
😂😂😂 I think I am the wrong image for Norton 😁 😂😂😂😂 thanks GT 😁
I had a 1961 T120 Bonnie with a pre unit engine, rode it from Bristol to the Isle of man in 1988 to see the TT, made it there and back so i know the feeling these old bikes give you, nothing comes close.
Thanks MH 😁 funny I was just saying in DC’s comment 😁 both this and the 550 feel much better on the road than most of the modern bikes I’ve ridden🤔 so much for progress 😁
As one rode Nortons for a couple decades back in the 70s and 80s, I second your emotions. There's a sweet range just above 3000 rpm where it feels like the engine is just idling along, like you could just go around the world like that if the highways were there...
Absolutely 😁 thanks Mark 😁
@@TAYM A properly set up Commando had a 'Character factor' that was, quite frankly, second to none...
Wow! Wow! Wow! Beautiful bike… what a proper motorbike should be. Thanks for taking us along ( I’m super envious) ❤
Thanks TR 😁 it was a lovely bike to ride 😁
Now you're torqueing! 😁 It was wonderful to get the opportunity to see that bike in action, let alone actually ride it. That must have been a great experience. Using the gearbox would be a bit like looking in the mirror! What a looker the bike is👍👍.
Thanks GBD 😁 it was a real thrill to ride 😁
What a beautiful bike! Takes a few minutes to remember where the gear change is after a left shifter. The amount of times I've tried to change gear with the brake lever on the bullet when pulling away (seems OK when moving for some reason). The colour really suits the bike, fantastic with the Quaife box, just lovely. Please keep doing these type of reviews, gives us oldies a warm feeling 👍
Thanks Bill 😁 I shall try but finding the rides isn’t easy 😂😂😂
Superb bike superb sound and insta is now spot on. Bought back the 70s in a flash !!!
@@Peter234100 thanks Peter 😁
Great video mr Taym, wonderful to see you riding such an iconic bike as the Norton commando,envious ??. You bet 😊😊.🏍🏍🏍
😂😂😂 thanks PJ 😁
What a lucky lucky boy TAYM I think we're all a bit jealous. What a marvellous experience and what a brilliant video the joy in your voice came through brilliantly. A fireblade might be fast but that Norton can do time travel and take you back 40 years in a second.
😂😂😂😂 thanks Mike 😁
A marvellously Splendiferous Green bike, Mr TAYM, thanks for sharing. What a great sound too! Norton would do well to hear your words 😁
Thanks BW 😁 yes, disappointed with the new Norton affair 😕
thanks for bringing back the memories,Mr.TAYM. My third bike in 1975, with the same tank and seat from the first model 750 fastback.Good stuff.
Thanks 57K 😁 excellent, must have been the thing to back then 😁 marvellous 😁
You surprised us today Mr Taym with the most amazing and favorite bike Norton Commando Fastback ,in the most beautiful colour British racing green, my dream bike ..just Superb Mr Taym....
Thanks Dr 😁
@TAYM Thankyou Mr Taym...and you're most welcome 🙏
Real bucketlist stuff taym, just such a shame they didn't do a triumph/bsa/ royal Enfield job for us, yes these were a superbike in their day, but an affordable one, if they'd produced a modern retro copy of the commando at 10 or 11 grand they'd have sold thousands, instead of an overpriced garage queen that most will end up in collections. Anyway I'm sounding like ice didi meldrew, savour the moment
Yep, I don’t think Norton want to sell to people that would actually ride them 😁 for some reason 🤔 😂😂😂 thanks ST 😁
I remember one of the last prototype Commandos built had the coils in one of the side panels, which really tidies up the styling. I believe if my memory serves me that it also featured an SU carb which gave ridiculously good fuel consumption. Marvellous!!! 😎
Interesting, thanks FOE 😁
You are indeed a vary lucky boy, I am so jealous that you have ridden such a magnificent bike. That the current Norton people do not even respond is a really difficult thing to get your head around. Very strange from a business that purports to want to sell motorcycles.
Thanks BV 😁 yes, most odd 🤔 but I know I am not alone on that 🤔😁😂😂
That exhaust sounds so sweet, and compared to modern bikes, the engines had a very nice "Mechanical" sound. Some people may think it's noisy, but it's like music!
Now I want to leave work and go get on my old Triumph! 😁😁
To bad you never got to test ride a new Norton, but I hope someday you can get your hands on one and let us know what it's like compared to this one!
Thanks 2WV 😁 I suspect that Norton will be even more reluctant to let me ride one now I have the real McCoy to compare it to 😁😂😂😂
That Norton sounds fantastic, brings back memories of many miles done on my commando years ago, thanks that was just great.
Thanks IS 😁
I Owned 1 of these in the 70's. Best bike ever!
Thanks Porter 😁 bet you have a lot of memories from it 😁
@@TAYM well I know I have memories of mine ...................don't lose them
@@ninafowles4267 absolutely 😁 that ride will stay with me for sure😁
I had a Commando in the 80s, fantastic fun bike, lovely punchy engine. Id put that one back to the standard Roadster, different tank and seat and take off the fastback.
I agree with you 😁 thanks S 😁
What a fabulous bike..! Stunning from any angle and you got to ride it too, you lucky man. Now your note said it was sold soon after you filmed it, my question is does Mrs TAYM know it’s in your garage yet..?🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂😂😂 I think she’d notice the bank balance first 😂😂 thanks Foxy 😁
Wow as you said what a privilege to ride and what a lovely rumble from that 850 engine . Thanks TAYM
Thanks GCK 😁
What a stunning bike m8. Sounded wonderful and you sounded like you where over the moon. Glade you enjoyed your trip down memory lane.😁. Great stuff👍👌
Thanks Ian 😁 it was a very special day 😁
Another top quality video TAYM Quaife was famous back in the day for four into five speed gearbox conversions. Now I feel old for knowing that. Super sound from those exhausts and IMHO that contributes a great deal to the sense of power that is available from you right hand
Definitely 😁 they certainly contribute to the overall feeling 😁 thanks B 😁
Can you tell us if you liked the bike as I couldn’t tell from your commentary. 😂😉.
Great to see your enthusiasm mate. Great bikes.
😂😂😂😂 on the fence really 😂😂😂😂😂 thanks T 😁
My dream bike too in the early 70's. This model is a "Fastback" hence the tailpiece. There was also the more conventional "Roadster"," Interstate" and even an "Ezy Rider".
Yes, this was a roadster with a fast back added for some reason 😁 thanks MG 😁
Hands down the best review l think on a Norton commando , 850 , on you tube , the enthusiasm is infectious , l am lucky enough to own three of these , Inc electric start , all different , roadster interstate , thinking about chopping one in for a bmwr90s , after seeing this , could just change my mind , keep up the brill videos ,. All the best ,Don.
Thanks Don 😁 you are very kind 😁 and also a very lucky man 😁 3 is a bit greedy if you don’t mind me saying 😂😂😂 May be you should consider parting with one, let someone else experience the shear pleasure of riding one 😁😂😂 I mean, a BMW R90S, wouldn’t be a hardship would it 😁😂😂
@@TAYM Hi , yes three is a lot , but purely the way it worked out , the first was a swop , the second was acquired when searching for an interstate fuel tank , from an old boy 13'000 miles , so l bought it , the third because l damaged my back , hence electric start , the plan was to sell xyz , then life changed , so next year will part with one or two , all the best , Don.
Dear TAYM, thank you for this video that I enjoy watching very much from snowy Sweden!
Thanks PJK 😁 a childhood dream come true for me 😁
This Norton is a 'bitsa' - The Fastback Commando was only produced by the factory as a 750 in two distinct styles - Standard (3 gallon tank) and Long Range (4 gallon tank). This one is the latter. When 750 production ended and 850 started it was only made mainly as a Roadster or an Interstate. BTW the North American market always favoured the Roadster styled models (750 or 850) over other models available, although the Interstate sold well too. Nice to hear your enthusiasm in riding this bike though , they are great when set up correctly. I had a roadster way back in 1972/73 for a while and recently bought a 750 fastback to relive my youth - while I still can !
Yes, I really enjoyed myself😁 it surprised me just how good it felt given it’s age compared to modern bikes. It felt so much more solid and handled so well. Thanks DH 😁
That brought back some wonderful memories. In 1975, I was lucky enough to own a brand new 850 Commando Interstate in Candy Apple Red. Now I’ve almost come full circle with only my second British bike, a Speed Twin 1200 in Baja Orange. 😊
And two of the best British bikes ever made 😁 fantastic 😁 thanks BL 😁
@@TAYM Oi ! hang-on ! What about the Best British -Bike Never-Made..?.......The W......650 haha Dave nz
@@kdsowen2882 😂😂😂😂 absolutely 😁 the most British of the British bikes built today 😂😂😂
Yes Mr Taym, a real treat from yesterday- lived it😅
Thanks MW 😁
Absolutely fabulous; what a bike, my dream bike when i was a lad.
Snap 😁 had poster of a red one on my bedroom wall 😁
Living proof, right there, that folk of a certain age buy on emotion. Fabulous Vlog
Absolutely 😁😂😂😂😂 thanks AM 😁
Awesome! rode a1973 Commando in Hawaii. Year round fun. 🙏
Sounds like a wonderful way to pass the time 😁 thanks IM 😁
I had a 71 Norton. One thing I wished it had was a gear indicator. Sometimes forgot what gear I was in
Thanks Tim 😁 I do the same even with one 😂😂😂
I owned a 74 750 with high compression “combat” engine. Then rode an 850 regularly over the mountains from Sydney to Orange/ Bathurst for years: a 3 hr trip! With a set of Dunlop K81’s riding fast through the mountain the bike it was like riding with a God. You just couldn’t fault the handling if you knew not to back off in corners, it would hold the line like you were on rails. The original pipes don’t have that lip at the bottom when the taper started from the joint. The tail price is from a Fastback 750 - looks good, and the tank from an Atlas - a pre commando model. Duke ss 900 sell now for $65,000 plus; early 750’s for a lot more but these are still around the 20-30,000 mark, cheap.
Thanks Kym😁 excellent comment 😁 great information 😁
The stuff of dreams! So very cool. Thank you!
Certainly my dreams 😁 thanks TF 😁
I agree, the old bikes seemed to give more power from less capacity, but I think a lot of that is probably down to the character of those old engines and the fact that they were smaller and lighter than modern bikes. I had a race tuned Norton Dominator 600 and a '68 Bonneville 650 back in the early 1970s and both could easily lift the front wheel in second gear, handled well and sounded amazing. There are plenty of faster and more powerful bikes now but most of them can't come close to the character and excitement of those old bikes.
Absolutely 😁 thanks 5DT😁
Too-true ! I let my old Bonnie loose at the Lights once (back in the day ) Girl pillion flipped-back-ward, her foot caught under my chin and we did the-most-spectacular wheel-stand across the-lights Dave nz
Hi Dave, yes they were very lively if you got a bit too throttle happy! She was lucky to find your chin 😳. I had a similar incident on the Norton, which had a racing seat held on with bungee cords. I had a mate on the back going home from the pub one night, took off from a junction and left him sitting on the seat in the middle of the road! We thought it was hilarious at the time but we were lucky it didn't happen going a bit faster. Cheers, Mick
@@kdsowen2882 😂😂😂😂
@@5dTraveller I love a story with a bungee, a bike and a pub, it’s always going to have a good ending 😂😂😂😂😂
Those green clock logos were a brand logo design, that's all, That sounds like a well put together engine, I am glad you enjoyed it, my own one has a 100,000 miles on it and is still going strong. You should try a 750 Combat which is a tuned version, very light compared with an 850 and acceptably fast.😀
That’s incredible 😁 thanks J😁
Nice one TAYM, excellent midweek video, the Norton looks and sounds fantastic, definitely the classiest British big twin.....😊
Absolutely 😁 the dream machine 😁 thanks H 😁
Morning Mr TAYM. Stunning !
Thanks Ian 😁
Che spettacolo, amo Triumph ma allo stesso tempo anche Norton ❤🇮🇹🇬🇧
Thanks ADA 😁 they are wonderful motorcycles but so are Moto Guzzi 😁
Fabulous sound, fabulous bike, you lucky boy!
😁😁 thanks SN 😁
Ah, gear lever on the proper side and the right way round. Up-changes are so much quicker when you stab the lever down! Back in the eighties I got to ride an 850 Commando that had been prepared for production racing; 4S cam, close ratio gear box and racing numbers on the sides but still street legal; I never managed to get into top gear!
Yes, this one had very long legs and went like stink on my first circuit 😁👹😂😂😂 thanks LS 😁
🌟The tail housing, that held the tool roll, is from an earlier Fastback model which was the one I had when I was eighteen in 1973. I now have a W800 but I'd swap it for a Commando any day ❤️
Thanks FE 😁 certainly a very nice bike 😁 as is the W800 😁
Eh TAYM great to see you enjoying that Norton
Fabulous bike totally different experience
That’s why I like the old machines so much
Beast of a machine love it 😍 ❤
So very different to modern bikes, such a special feeling 😁 thanks Phil 😁
Grail bike!
Looks, sounds and runs magnificently. 🤩❤
Thanks PW 😁
Lordy Be!! I road 3 of those before my Ducati. Connecticut back roads with humps and jumps! I was 18/19 and a fearless idiot! The only real complaint was that the Roadmaster forks topped out loudly over the humps and jumps. Considering I lived through that era it’s a niggle. I massaged them every weekend. Points, tappers and they were dead reliable. We’d head up to Vermont and points beyond camping and my Norton was always the first to start. The 74 Ducati did raise the bar though.
Thanks BL 😁 funny you say that 😁 we were discussing the looseness of the top of the forks😁 almost like it needed more fork oil🤔 I was assured it was normal and to be honest, it was only on the centrestand you noticed😁 to ride it seemed perfect 😁 thanks BL 😁 great memories 😁
Old school TAYM, using his "tabulous" style words! Sounds of your voice tells it all!
😂😂😂😂 thanks LoY 😁
You sound so excited , your obviously enjoying yourself , you know what I think you should buy it and park it next to Berti 👍🏍
Sadly already sold and on its way to Sweden 😕 thanks MsD 😁
Oh I’m sorry but at least you had the pleasure of riding it and Berti is lovely and triumph 👍🏍
@@MsDenver2 thanks 😁😁😘
And I got it wrong, fourth bike. On the gear change thing, I went from 1950 RE 500 twin - rIght side 1 up 3down, to 1971 Triumph Trident right side 1 down 3 up, to 1975 T140v Bonneville Left Side 1 down 4 up, to Norton right side 1 up 3 down, to 1977 Moto Guzzi Lemans left side 1 down 4 up. Was easy after that as most of the bikes i have had since were one the left 1down.
😂😂😂😂😂 impressive 😂😂😂 thanks 57K 😁
Incredible jealousy stimulated by that bike! The sound of a vertical twin especially in full song. Two things need to be if there is an afterlife, our pets back and British motorcycles!😆
Absolutely 😁 I do hope so 😁
Splendiferous motorcycle!
Thanks HP 😁
What a marvellous bike and review though not the one I was expecting 😏😉😎 I very nearly bought this bike after your earlier video on it, had you published this then I very well might have. I was contemplating the new Commando at the time and although it looks good enough to eat, it's vibeyness and questionable handling along with its price put me off. I was on the verge of phoning Hayward's when I decided to look again at the TTS, which as you know I went on to buy instead. That's the way with bikes, we want to own them all, only practicality and affordability mean we have to be very selective with our choices 😏🙄😀
Absolutely 😁 this little baby is moving to Sweden with its owner in a couple of weeks 😁 he has something similar which I am hoping to get on before he goes 😁👹😂😂😂 thanks GW 😁 I was like you, thinking of a new Norton but a failure for them to respond and the points you raised pushed me to the Thruxton 😁 for which I am very pleased 😁 this Norton is so far removed from the new abomination you would believe 😁
Lovely jubbly. Not jealous as all. Honest.
😂😂😂😂 thanks T😁
And one more dream machine by Mr TAYM !!
😁😂😂 thanks L😁
What a beauty! ❤
Thanks R😁
What a beauty. I think thats my favourite motorcycle engine noise. Like Wendy but better. Is the Commando the Holy Grail of motorcycles I wonder. Cheers TAYM👍
Yes, just like wendy 😁 certainly is the holy grail 😁 thanks SH 😁
Whatever happened to her?🤔
@@splodge57 she went to someone more deserving and her first love 😁
Quafe made racing gearboxs & produced 5-speed conversions for Triumph & Norton 4-speed box's.
Thanks G 😁
fantastic bike, I can see you enjoyed that.
Most certainly did 😁 thanks Ice 😁
What a treat.
Thanks JH 😁
No surprise it was sold looks to be in exceptional condition and an iconic machine..Feels solid because it has more metal and no plastic. A mechanical clocks etc. The only chips came with fish in those days. I guess the Honda 550 four a similar age. How did they compare?.
😂😂😂😂 thanks DC 😁 the 550 felt familiar 😁 the Norton felt much more powerful but both felt much better on the road than most modern bikes I’ve ridden😁 isn’t progress a funny thing 🤔
@TAYM I'm sure there is some nostalgia at work. I wonder how the old machines cope with modern fuel. No one mentions it. BTW you are lucky to have such a good dealer and someone doing high quality restoration!!
@@davidconnelly2096 absolutely 😁 and whether it would feel the same trudging through the daily commute on a cold wet morning is another thing. 😁 but it’s good to dream 😁
Seriously salivating out here in TH-cam land !! & sold after the video 🤔 is it in your garage now 👌🏍😅
😂😂😂😂 I wish 😁 it’s on its way to Sweden 😁 thanks Stu😁
@@TAYM haha 😅 never mind - next one”s yours 🤞😂 cheers TAYM 👍
Smoothi Operator , nice bike👍👍😚
Thanks K 😁
That 1974 Norton is nearly the same age as me. I wish I could say that I've aged so gracefully!
To be fair, my body is probably about as effective as those drum brakes, lol.
😂😂😂😂 brilliant 😂😂😂 thanks SB 😁
Wow amazing. I cracked a fat watching this
😂😂😂😂
Aaah, the almighty Commando 850. Member of the famous Joe Bar Team. :)
😂😂😂 thanks ECA😁
Love the-deep Rumble ! Dave nz
It is marvellous isn’t it 😁 thanks KD 😁
Speechless? TAYM. As if! 🤣 Thank goodness! 👏👏🤣
😂😂😂 almost 😂😂😂 thanks Dave 😁
Reason it feels so much more powerful is because it's only 189-191kg as RE650 Interceptor 215kg wet & T100 is 220kg & T120 225kg wet so 20-35kg lighter no Emission choking technology & taller gears that's why.
Norton Commando 850 with 5speed is Creme de la creme bike everybody's dream bike buy TAYM 🦒.
Thanks RR 😁 oh, good morning by the way 😁😂😂😂
Have to agree...and then there is the 72 Bonnie.
It depends on your point of reference; the latest version is a significant improvement from the Garner era, but I agree that compared to other bikes in its category, others do it better. Perhaps another way of expressing how Norton could get the Commando so right while allowing the negative sentiment and symphony of noise to effectively kill any chances of selling a new or used V4SV or V4RC. The V4SS issue will not stop haunting Norton until they stop burying their heads in the sand and pretending they can tough it out when it's evident that they are hurting more than the V4SS owners. Is Norton really that different under TVS than it was under Garner, as it's once again a brand attracting attention for all the wrong reasons and with a product line-up that does not quite make it?
Absolutely 😁 they need to get their head out of their own dark place 🤔 I wrote three times by three different mediums to try and get a test ride but didn’t even get a response so gave up and bought the chrome Thruxton instead 😁
A bit ragged under 3k rpm.But it all smooths out after that ...lovely bikes .
Thanks Glen 😁
Looks so cool mukka
Thanks PB 😁 hope the DJI is working out well😁 just a bought had enough of GoPro myself 😁
@@TAYM think a lot of people have had enough of GoPro
And thanks 🙏🏻 great video by the way
when you rode through the village did you see steed peel the saint and number 6 ?
😂😂😂 pretty sure I did see Simon templer enjoying a pint in the three horse shoes 😁 and am certain there was a white Volvo p1800 in the car park 😁 😂😂😂 thanks Mr Ed 😁
The only bike better than a British Racing Green Commando , is a Red One .
They feel more powerful than a modern bike because of the torque produced by the long stroke 360 degree crank .
All this modern talk about 270 degree cranks in parallel twins and the Vtwin style power delivery is b*llsh*t .
They sound nice because there's no DOHC and airbox whine and no they haven't shoved a cat up the exhaust either .
Just how fast it actually is will depend on the cam and the size of the carbs , the fastest standard bikes were the 750 Combat engined bikes . But I suspect that the engine in that bike is rather special , I bet that above 5,000 rpm she really flies .
It's a very nice Long Range Fastback replica , kudos to the builder . Thank you for showing it to us .
[ Neutral Light ? 🤔. Wot's that ?🤣🤣🤣]
Thanks Crumb 😁 very interesting stuff 😁 of course I couldn’t comment on the 5000rpm point 😉 but I did have the owners permission to take it there 😁👹😁
The Triumph Speed Twin 1200 has the character, sound, feel, with more power and torque. A wonderful modern traditional bike. And I also loved my Commando back in the 80s.
@@TAYM . Crumb ?
@@dungspreader 😂😂😂😂😂 sorry DS🤔 or should I be saying sorry Crumb 😁😂😂
@@TAYM . No problem, 'didi .
My mate in Cornwall is as got one like brand new it is yellow up for about £8500 but no takers and I mean like brand new
Thanks Frank 😁 that sounds very reasonable to me 😁 this ones had more than that spent on it 😱
Lovely bike TAYM sounds awesome you lucky so and so but my fave Norton was the Commando Roadster I would really like to have one of those such a good looker to me never road one though .I would have rather had one of those at the time instead of a Bonneville and in the early 70's it''s challenger was the XS650 Yamaha the Japanese answer good bikes too but a lot different from what I remember good times and sad as it might seem I would luv to go back there 😂👌👍Super !
Thanks Crumb 😁 I think a lot of us would despite the power cuts, no bin collection and green goddesses putting out our fires 😁😂😂😂
@@TAYM 🤣It all past me by at the time .
@@crumblymal8479 😂😂😂😂
I'd be so worried I'd lock up the back wheel changing in to fifth😨
Is 'ginger cat' still ok?
😂😂😂 it’s more painful trying to lift the rear brake with your left foot 😂😂😂 thanks Loki😁
@@TAYM oh yeah🤔
@@loki1066 😂😂
You lucky bugger TAYM, that’s the bike I covert most but with my somewhat lack of spannering skills one I fear to own in equal measure along with having to keep it outside under cover which would be criminal 😢.
For this reason plus your personal enthusiasm for Wendy I bought the W Cafe; the nearest modern equivalent? You may be interested to know that Avon RoadRiders totally fixed the handling issues with a better ride to boot😂😂😂, absolutely love it know.
Anyway, I’m soon off to the Pathfinder Cafe @ Blackbushe Airport Surrey to a classic bike meet where last week there were loads of gorgeous classics, here’s a video someone just posted of it. FYI my ‘Paddington’ is @13:50 ish th-cam.com/video/SA9O8B3YvBI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=fcAS1wUTUmxnoRAM but Wilma is having her turn today, ironically with on 152 registrations in the UK for the Cafe W it’ll probably be the rarest bike there hahaha!😅
Absolutely brilliant 😁 yes, the cafe W does sound exactly the same, that’s where I’ve heard it before😁😂😂😂 lovely bike, miss her a lot and maybe I made a mistake there😕 thanks SW 😁 I shall take a look 😁
It’s fastback tail right?
Yes, it is😁 it’s a little bit of a hybrid I think 😁 thanks S 😁
Poor new owner! The shame when they realise TAYM rode it! 😱🤣 A proper bike! 🤣
😂😁😂😁 thanks Dave 🙄
Fastback, from 68 750
Interesting 😁 thanks WW 😁
RR must be cooking tea, chopping wood, scraping sheep shit off his gumboots...and on and on and on
😂😂😂 must be 😂😂😂
Getting washing in & watching news hoping National Party dropped in the polls for Saturday's election.
National Party Leader Chris Luxon doesn't answer any questions cause he lies & walks away & us known as Mr Walkaway 😂🤣& has a Smug grin & a is a Smug C*#t.
Someone vandalized his sign just down the road with a bum on forehead & Shite 💩 coming out of mouth makese laugh every time I go past😁😆😂🤣😆😂🤣.
Winston Peter's for PM haha.
@@ruahinesrider bit late for washing mate be raining over there now, doesn't it rain every day in NZ. I'm bringing my raincoat, gumboots and brolly that's for sure.
Turn the key off
😂😂😂😂 thanks Mark 😁
Don't tell me 1
😂😂😂 poor RR 😁 he’s going to be gutted. 😁 beaten by his arch enemy 😂😂😂😂
Careful TAYM - you’ll start a conflagration! 🤣@@TAYM
RR will have to buy me a beer next month...you know me being a winner and all.
Melbourne Cup weekend when you be in NZ 🇳🇿 or just after.
@@ruahinesrider not sure yet mate give u heaps of notice...re dinner or lunch what's best for u weekday or weekend. How far are you from Irish pub? and does that work for u. We're flexible.
Trash that bike for God sake!
@@SapoPeta-c6x 😂😂😂😂